The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a pneumatic audio system for use in magnetic field environments. More specifically, a system for wirelessly transmitting audio signals from a remote device to a transducer module connectable to hollow tubing and communicating the audio signals via the hollow tubing to a headphone during imaging.
As is known to those skilled in the art, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to produce pictures of internal organs of the body. The magnetic field is created by running an electrical current through a coiled wire—an electromagnet. When the current is switched on, an outward force is produced along the coil in a short amount of time. This causes the coil to expand and vibrate, resulting in loud clicking noise. The current is switched on and off rapidly, producing a loud sound that is amplified by the enclosed space and vibrations of the equipment.
The loud sounds of an MRI scanner cause many disturbances to the patients receiving the scan and the healthcare professional administering the scan. The noises of the MRI scanner may cause annoyance, verbal communication difficulties, hearing loss, and anxiety to the patient, sometimes causing them to fidget which results in distorted imaging. Providing the patient with headphones having cups configured to encompass the ear canal can reduce the level of noise in the MR environment. However, traditional hearing protection headphones further reduce the ability of a healthcare professional to communicate with the patient.
Thus, it has been known to provide headphones in which a speaker is provided in the earcup. Electronic signals including audio data spoken by the healthcare professional may be provided to the speaker for reproduction and transmission to the patient. Providing the speaker within the earcup thereby provides both a level of hearing protection from ambient noise and allows communication from the healthcare professional to be delivered to the patient. However, the earcups themselves are bulky and may not be suited for use within an antenna array configured to image a patient's head. Additionally, the components used for audio transmission, as well as the for hearing protection may result either in interference with the magnetic field of the MRI scanning or additional artifacts appearing on the image. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved headset for use during head imaging that provides both sound protection for the patient and allows for communication with the healthcare professional.